I have been working in international education in India for the last sixteen years and am currently deputy head of secondary at Ecole Mondiale in Mumbai. My experience is exculvely with the DP - having taught economics, theory of knowledge, history and human rights, and having been a moderator, examiner, etc, over the years - and as I prepare to take over as head of secondary in July, I look forward to learning all about MYP that I can. That is not to say that I have no exposure to MYP, since Ecloe has been offering all the three programmes for the last seven years. Prior to this assignment, I have worked at Kodaikanal International School for seven years, at the United World College for India for six years and I was a journalist for 14 years before I became a teacher. Why did I become a teacher? In my family, and extended family, there are two types of people. Those who teach and those who aspire to do so. I have been married to a Kashmiri, also an educator, for the last......many many years and we have two children. My daughter has graduated from Sussex and works for an NGO promoting rights of women and sexually other oriented people and my son is a DJ.
From tony buzan. The teaching of uncreativity. Decline in creativity is normal, it is not natural. Learning what to learn and how to learn. Every child is brilliant. How do we unleash that? If you teach someone to learn how to learn, they can apply it to any discipline.
Day one Session1.
reflections: Main focus, to what extent the school's mission statement align with that of the IB. Some sharing. Interesting comment" Mission statement: We shall teach.
Day one. session 2: International education. Flags food and festivals
What is international education: International mindedness, int curriculum. intercultural understanding. belonging to a community of the world. Global awareness. Open minded. independent of national curricula. Portable education which has core commonalities
Day one. session 3. Holistic learning.
what it means and issues with doing it. how to deal with it in a variety of context.
Day one. session 4. Collaboration.
The journey to authorisation. Do what you can one step at a time One subject teacher per group has to be trained. What are we really teaching? Skills, knowledge, curiosity, sense of inquiry, tok links, philosophy, dealing with problems, getting good grades,
What are some ways that we can encourage teachers to begin to talk and work with one another?
create myp champions who believe in the programme strongly. there needs to be at least one such in every subject group. send them to the best workhops so they get enthusiastic.
WHAT IS INQUIRY BASED LEARNING AND HOW DOES A SCHOOL GO ABOUT IMPLEMENTING IT?
REFLECTIONS ON DAY ONE:
The number of people attending who were new to MYP - in being candidate schools or just considering it for the future - came as a surprise to me. There were some who were quite knowledgeable, though. There were delays in starting most of the sessions. Things picked up after the first session. Some reflections on what international education means or could mean were insightful. A question that I was left with, raised by one participant was, ``so what does an international minded student look like? is it possible to pick one out when you experience one?'
The session on holistic learning, apart from its meaning, considered what it could mean in different contexts and how it posed a challenge in the face of the needs of national curricula. Resistance coming mainly from teachers who have been teaching the national curriculum as well as parents who want good results.
Session four was quite useful in many ways. it considered collaboration in the light of authorisation visits (do what you can one step at a time), in encouraging teachers to begin to talk to one another and in collectively considering what is it that we are really teaching the students. Group discussion were lively and considered questions such as `are we teaching at all, are students learning what we are teaching and how to improve practice by sharing resources'
Insight from a participant at my table: `If MYP is to succeed as administrators we need to create MYP champions who believe in the programme strongly. If there is even one such per subject group, it can make a difference. It is important to send such people to the best workshops'
Overall, a satisfying day and I look forward to getting down to the nitty-gritties of unravelling approaches to significant concept and unit question as well as the issue with the amount of paperwork associated with the MYP.
What did you cover on day 1?
Icebreaker activity; forming the continuum from closest born to Singapore to the furthest away, followed by introduction exercise.
How does the IBO Mission and your school’s Mission fit together? This led to a realisation that our mission statement is quite verbose and could be edited down.
The MYP Curriculum model briefly (3 fundamental concept, 5 areas of interaction, 8 subject areas, student centred) and video of the MYP from the IBO.
What is international education? - Jigsaw exercise using the readings as stimulus. The reading focused on how schools tend to look at the superfluous in defining international education. in many parts of asia, white meant international. if school had teachers and students from asian countries many did not consider themselves international.
Authorisation visit –brief outline of what can be expected.
Implementation of MYP –the challenge of modifying your school’s current curriculum to fit the MYP framework with its emphasis on holistic education.
Collaboration exercise –what are some strategies you could use to encourage your teachers to begin to talk and work with one another…….each group had a different “topic”; ideas were uploaded to the wiki.
Homework: Start completing your peer action plan.
Self reflection is an important strategy for IB learners. Consider each of the 8 points above and think about which of these:
You connected with?
Extended your thinking? (if so, how?) and
Which challenged you?
Find someone you have not spoken to yet and in pairs, take it in turns to share your thoughts. Would anyone like to share with the whole group what their new learning partner disclosed that you found interesting and/or insightful?
Day 2.
Session 5: The Coherent curriculum
Aligning local curricula with MYP.
MANAGEBAC DOES THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL PLANNING. CHECK THIS OUT
Vertical alignment is different from vertical articulation.
history, vertical articulation
MYP classes
Content coverage across an academic year
Grade 6
History: stone age and early civilizations.
Geography: 5 themes of Geography and settlements.
Grade7
History: focus on Indian History- India after Indus valley civilization: Vedic age, Maurya, Gupta and Mughal period.
Geography: weathering and erosion , weather and climate
Grade 8
History: Industrial revolution, colonization and imperialism in India and French revolution.
Geography: Plate Tectonics, Population and migration, Locational; factors of Industries, Impact of MNCs in a host country.
Grade 9
History: world war 1, treaty of Versailles, league of nation, causes of world war 2, beginning of cold war.
Geography: population dynamics, settlement dynamics, Tourism, Plate Tectonics, processes and features of marine and river erosion. Field work.
Grade 10
History: consequences of cold war and the end of cold war, Nazism and consequences.
Geography: location of Industries and agricultural systems, Rainforests and desert vegetation, weather and climate, processes of weathering, energy and water resources, interpretation of ordnance survey maps.
Vertical articulation of Humanities across grades 6- 10
Knowing and Understanding
Investigating
Thinking Critically
Communicating
consequences of cold war and the end of cold war
Nazism and consequences
location of Industries and agricultural systems
Rainforests and desert vegetation
weather and climate
processes of weathering
energy and water resources
interpretation of ordnance survey maps
.
Interim Objectives:
Session 6. Concept based curriculum
How do I make it real/
concept: what is the underlying principle of that which I teach.
What is understanding: be able to explain, apply, communicate, modify it. Wiggins: can explain, can interpret, can apply, have perspective, can empathise, have self knowledge.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE DONT KNOW. there are somethings we dont know, but we dont know that we dont know them.
A concept is an organising idea. Lynn Erickson
concepts are: timeless, universal and abstract.
Concepts promote enduring understanding. teh increase the possi ility of students understanding and remembering.
So how do we use concepts to help student understanding.
CONCEPTS IN PYP: FORM FUNCTION CAUSATION CHANGE, CONNECTION PERSPECTIVE RESPOSIBILITY REFLECTION.
RELATED CONCEPTS: ORDER, SYSTEMS EVOLUTION CYCLES, EQUILIBRIUM CONFLICT,COOPERATION, PATTERNS.
RESOURCES, SYSTEMS, POWER INTERDEPENDENCE.
SIGNIFICANT CONCEPT" CIVILISATIONS DEVELOP NEAR RESOURCES AND DECLINE BECAUSE THEY OUTGROW THEIR RESOURCES.
SETTLEMENTS: CONCEPTS: FORMS, FUNCTIONS, CHANGE, INTERDEPENDENCE, SYSTEM
SIGNIFICANT CONCEPT: AS SETTLEMENTS GROW SO DOES THE RANGE AND DIVERSITY OF SERVICES
to arrive at a sig con:
consider the content of the unit unpack the content to unravel the conepts involved refine the major concepts into one broach overarching concept that may go beyond the subject.
using the areas of interaction
TOPIC: how societies work
sig con:modern consis of omplexx systms and structures that hve evolved to meet the needs of communities.
the AOIs take you out of the classroom situation.
Community and service: how do we live in relation to others? how can i contribute to the community? how can i help others?
Environments: Where do we Live? What resrources do we have or need? What are my responsibilities?
Health and social education: How do I think and act? Who am I changing? now can i look after myself and others?
Human Ingenuity:
USING THE AREAS OF INTERACTION
SESSION 6
CURTIS: MYP THE NEXT CHAPTER
123 myp schools in asia pacific region.. 12 per cent growth rate
sig concept to enduring understanding
the transition document: on occ
only language b will be mandatory. when the six subject option comes.
at grade 9 they can already do so. drop 2 subjects.
art and pe need to be assigned the same number of hours? you need fifty hours in this
All subjects move to four criteria.
COMMAND TERMS MUST BE KNOWN TO IB TEACHERS. AT THE END OF THE SUBJECT GUIDE. ASK HODS TO LOOK INTO THIS.
MODERATION COULD BE DROPPED, EXCEPT FOR PP. MODERATION LEADS TO MYP CERTIFICATE FOR STUDENTS.
EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT: TO BRING PARITY WITH IGCSE EXAMS.
EXAM NOT BASED ON THE SYLLABUS BUT STUDENTS ABILITY TO ABSORB THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSES.
IF YOU DROPPED SOME SUBJECTS IN GRADE 9, SUBJECT OBJECTIVES WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BEEN MET.
THE SCHOOL DECIDES THE OPTIONS ON THIS. ALL EIGHT, SIX. WHICH COMPULSORY, WHICH OPTIONAL.
SESSION 7
CONCEPT BASED CURRICULUM- 2
Conceptual understanding content concept and context drive student inquiry resulting in a well designed unit plan
what is inquiry?
Session 8. Rigorous assessment.
conceptual understanding.
purpose? to check understanding and knowledge, to give feedback to improve. check if there has been some learning. check skill, collaboration, attitudes. Assessment as, for and of learning. it informs teaching.
Principles. Clear rubric, accessible, based on taught curriculum, distinguish between range of students, application to real life situation. authentic assessment.
Assessment practice: test, exam, projects, group presentations, performances, oral.
How does sharing criteria help?
What role does feedback play in assessment?
Criteria related assessment.
Moderating assessment.
EXPLAIN STUDENTS CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING INTERNAL ASSESSMENT AND ASK THEM TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON EACH OTHERS'S WORK.
Subject obj: sub criteria: levels of achievement
to persuade a parent that myp is rigorous, show them an assessment task. and compare that with the assessment from a state curriculum.
Reflection on day 2: The session on understanding concepts and coming up with significant concepts was meaningful. the movement from topic to concept to significant concept made sense in the light of the definition of what a concept should be about and what were the concepts tackled at the PYP and MYP.
Day 3. SESSION ONE. REFLECTION
SOME ISSUES: Are we preparing kids for MYP.
Reflection deepens understanding and creates lasting connections. This is particularly important in a unit plan. It informs and modifies practice. ``i have 20 years experience. no you have one years experience 20 time''. if you dont look at your practice, this is what will happen.
Reflection as you teach and after you finish the unit.
Reflect with a purpose. not because the unit planner requires it.
Community and service. reflection
three broad SLEs
community awareness ad understanding reflection
how can my learning help my communities? how can my communities help me learn what should i do?
``hit and run community service'' reach out initiative? how is it to be sustained?
Reflection on session one: important to incorporate the aspect of reflecting with a purpose, using the guidelines in the unit planner for reflection and to reflect as you teach not only at the end of a unit. Seriously rethink the CAS programme and particularly the reach out part of it.
SESSION 10: MORE COLLABORTION
session 11: the personal project
Each student needs to have a different project. same display could support three projects.
process, product, reporting. three stages in a pp.
how to help them without doing it for them.
Define the goal:
Select sources: supervisors' role. topic: setting up of thai restaurant. is the goal achievable.
need a range of resources.
Apply information:
Achieve the goal
product has to be made. personal project done in two concentrated weeks, including school time. When they fail there should be a safety net, you dont make it so that they dont fail. opportunity to make errors and rectify them is important.
Reflect on learning.
has the exercise extended their knowledge and understanding of the topic and aoi focus
how have they developed as a learner.
Report the project
Role of the supervisor
guides, must be familiar with the objectives, evaluates. dont need to be an expert to be a supervisor.
myp requirements:
schools must demonstrate importance of pp.
reflections: what could lead to a successful personal project topic. what activities could school undertake to enable students to come up with good projects.
From tony buzan. The teaching of uncreativity. Decline in creativity is normal, it is not natural. Learning what to learn and how to learn. Every child is brilliant. How do we unleash that? If you teach someone to learn how to learn, they can apply it to any discipline.
Day one Session1.
reflections: Main focus, to what extent the school's mission statement align with that of the IB. Some sharing. Interesting comment" Mission statement: We shall teach.Day one. session 2: International education. Flags food and festivals
What is international education: International mindedness, int curriculum. intercultural understanding. belonging to a community of the world. Global awareness. Open minded. independent of national curricula. Portable education which has core commonalities
Day one. session 3. Holistic learning.
what it means and issues with doing it. how to deal with it in a variety of context.
Day one. session 4. Collaboration.
The journey to authorisation. Do what you can one step at a time
One subject teacher per group has to be trained.
What are we really teaching? Skills, knowledge, curiosity, sense of inquiry, tok links, philosophy, dealing with problems, getting good grades,
What are some ways that we can encourage teachers to begin to talk and work with one another?
create myp champions who believe in the programme strongly. there needs to be at least one such in every subject group. send them to the best workhops so they get enthusiastic.
WHAT IS INQUIRY BASED LEARNING AND HOW DOES A SCHOOL GO ABOUT IMPLEMENTING IT?
REFLECTIONS ON DAY ONE:
The number of people attending who were new to MYP - in being candidate schools or just considering it for the future - came as a surprise to me. There were some who were quite knowledgeable, though. There were delays in starting most of the sessions. Things picked up after the first session. Some reflections on what international education means or could mean were insightful. A question that I was left with, raised by one participant was, ``so what does an international minded student look like? is it possible to pick one out when you experience one?'
The session on holistic learning, apart from its meaning, considered what it could mean in different contexts and how it posed a challenge in the face of the needs of national curricula. Resistance coming mainly from teachers who have been teaching the national curriculum as well as parents who want good results.
Session four was quite useful in many ways. it considered collaboration in the light of authorisation visits (do what you can one step at a time), in encouraging teachers to begin to talk to one another and in collectively considering what is it that we are really teaching the students. Group discussion were lively and considered questions such as `are we teaching at all, are students learning what we are teaching and how to improve practice by sharing resources'
Insight from a participant at my table: `If MYP is to succeed as administrators we need to create MYP champions who believe in the programme strongly. If there is even one such per subject group, it can make a difference. It is important to send such people to the best workshops'
Overall, a satisfying day and I look forward to getting down to the nitty-gritties of unravelling approaches to significant concept and unit question as well as the issue with the amount of paperwork associated with the MYP.
What did you cover on day 1?
Self reflection is an important strategy for IB learners.
Consider each of the 8 points above and think about which of these:
- You connected with?
- Extended your thinking? (if so, how?) and
- Which challenged you?
Find someone you have not spoken to yet and in pairs, take it in turns to share your thoughts.Would anyone like to share with the whole group what their new learning partner disclosed that you found interesting and/or insightful?
Day 2.
Session 5: The Coherent curriculum
Aligning local curricula with MYP.
MANAGEBAC DOES THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL PLANNING. CHECK THIS OUT
Vertical alignment is different from vertical articulation.
history, vertical articulation
Geography: 5 themes of Geography and settlements.
Geography: weathering and erosion , weather and climate
Geography: Plate Tectonics, Population and migration, Locational; factors of Industries, Impact of MNCs in a host country.
Geography: population dynamics, settlement dynamics, Tourism, Plate Tectonics, processes and features of marine and river erosion. Field work.
Geography: location of Industries and agricultural systems, Rainforests and desert vegetation, weather and climate, processes of weathering, energy and water resources, interpretation of ordnance survey maps.
Interim Objectives:
Session 6. Concept based curriculum
How do I make it real/
concept: what is the underlying principle of that which I teach.
What is understanding: be able to explain, apply, communicate, modify it. Wiggins: can explain, can interpret, can apply, have perspective, can empathise, have self knowledge.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE DONT KNOW. there are somethings we dont know, but we dont know that we dont know them.
A concept is an organising idea. Lynn Erickson
concepts are: timeless, universal and abstract.
Concepts promote enduring understanding. teh increase the possi ility of students understanding and remembering.
So how do we use concepts to help student understanding.
CONCEPTS IN PYP: FORM FUNCTION CAUSATION CHANGE, CONNECTION PERSPECTIVE RESPOSIBILITY REFLECTION.
RELATED CONCEPTS: ORDER, SYSTEMS EVOLUTION CYCLES, EQUILIBRIUM CONFLICT,COOPERATION, PATTERNS.
RESOURCES, SYSTEMS, POWER INTERDEPENDENCE.
SIGNIFICANT CONCEPT" CIVILISATIONS DEVELOP NEAR RESOURCES AND DECLINE BECAUSE THEY OUTGROW THEIR RESOURCES.
SETTLEMENTS: CONCEPTS: FORMS, FUNCTIONS, CHANGE, INTERDEPENDENCE, SYSTEM
SIGNIFICANT CONCEPT: AS SETTLEMENTS GROW SO DOES THE RANGE AND DIVERSITY OF SERVICES
to arrive at a sig con:
consider the content of the unit
unpack the content to unravel the conepts involved
refine the major concepts into one broach overarching concept that may go beyond the subject.
using the areas of interaction
TOPIC: how societies work
sig con:modern consis of omplexx systms and structures that hve evolved to meet the needs of communities.
the AOIs take you out of the classroom situation.
Community and service: how do we live in relation to others? how can i contribute to the community? how can i help others?
Environments: Where do we Live? What resrources do we have or need? What are my responsibilities?
Health and social education: How do I think and act? Who am I changing? now can i look after myself and others?
Human Ingenuity:
USING THE AREAS OF INTERACTION
SESSION 6
CURTIS: MYP THE NEXT CHAPTER
123 myp schools in asia pacific region.. 12 per cent growth rate
sig concept to enduring understanding
the transition document: on occ
only language b will be mandatory. when the six subject option comes.
at grade 9 they can already do so. drop 2 subjects.
art and pe need to be assigned the same number of hours? you need fifty hours in this
All subjects move to four criteria.
COMMAND TERMS MUST BE KNOWN TO IB TEACHERS. AT THE END OF THE SUBJECT GUIDE. ASK HODS TO LOOK INTO THIS.
MODERATION COULD BE DROPPED, EXCEPT FOR PP. MODERATION LEADS TO MYP CERTIFICATE FOR STUDENTS.
EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT: TO BRING PARITY WITH IGCSE EXAMS.
EXAM NOT BASED ON THE SYLLABUS BUT STUDENTS ABILITY TO ABSORB THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSES.
IF YOU DROPPED SOME SUBJECTS IN GRADE 9, SUBJECT OBJECTIVES WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BEEN MET.
THE SCHOOL DECIDES THE OPTIONS ON THIS. ALL EIGHT, SIX. WHICH COMPULSORY, WHICH OPTIONAL.
SESSION 7
CONCEPT BASED CURRICULUM- 2
Conceptual understanding
content concept and context drive student inquiry resulting in a well designed unit plan
what is inquiry?
Session 8. Rigorous assessment.
conceptual understanding.
purpose? to check understanding and knowledge, to give feedback to improve. check if there has been some learning. check skill, collaboration, attitudes. Assessment as, for and of learning. it informs teaching.
Principles. Clear rubric, accessible, based on taught curriculum, distinguish between range of students, application to real life situation. authentic assessment.
Assessment practice: test, exam, projects, group presentations, performances, oral.
How does sharing criteria help?
What role does feedback play in assessment?
Criteria related assessment.
Moderating assessment.
EXPLAIN STUDENTS CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING INTERNAL ASSESSMENT AND ASK THEM TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON EACH OTHERS'S WORK.
Subject obj: sub criteria: levels of achievement
to persuade a parent that myp is rigorous, show them an assessment task. and compare that with the assessment from a state curriculum.
Reflection on day 2: The session on understanding concepts and coming up with significant concepts was meaningful. the movement from topic to concept to significant concept made sense in the light of the definition of what a concept should be about and what were the concepts tackled at the PYP and MYP.
Day 3. SESSION ONE. REFLECTION
SOME ISSUES: Are we preparing kids for MYP.
Reflection deepens understanding and creates lasting connections. This is particularly important in a unit plan. It informs and modifies practice. ``i have 20 years experience. no you have one years experience 20 time''. if you dont look at your practice, this is what will happen.
Reflection as you teach and after you finish the unit.
Reflect with a purpose. not because the unit planner requires it.
Community and service. reflection
three broad SLEs
community awareness ad understanding
reflection
how can my learning help my communities?
how can my communities help me learn
what should i do?
``hit and run community service'' reach out initiative? how is it to be sustained?
Reflection on session one: important to incorporate the aspect of reflecting with a purpose, using the guidelines in the unit planner for reflection and to reflect as you teach not only at the end of a unit. Seriously rethink the CAS programme and particularly the reach out part of it.
SESSION 10: MORE COLLABORTION
session 11: the personal project
Each student needs to have a different project. same display could support three projects.
process, product, reporting. three stages in a pp.
how to help them without doing it for them.
Define the goal:
Select sources: supervisors' role. topic: setting up of thai restaurant. is the goal achievable.
need a range of resources.
Apply information:
Achieve the goal
product has to be made. personal project done in two concentrated weeks, including school time. When they fail there should be a safety net, you dont make it so that they dont fail. opportunity to make errors and rectify them is important.
Reflect on learning.
has the exercise extended their knowledge and understanding of the topic and aoi focus
how have they developed as a learner.
Report the project
Role of the supervisor
guides, must be familiar with the objectives, evaluates. dont need to be an expert to be a supervisor.
myp requirements:
schools must demonstrate importance of pp.
reflections: what could lead to a successful personal project topic. what activities could school undertake to enable students to come up with good projects.
SESSION 12: PULLING IT TOGETHER